


This Isn't a Prank

by YukiRiikus_Reading_Room



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Birth of the Trickster, Brother Feels, Brotherly Affection, Child Gabriel, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fledglings, Heaven, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Pre-Battle, Protective Gabriel, Protective Lucifer, Sibling Love, Teenage Gabriel, Teenage Rebellion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-26
Updated: 2013-04-26
Packaged: 2017-12-09 13:11:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YukiRiikus_Reading_Room/pseuds/YukiRiikus_Reading_Room
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel has always followed his older brother Lucifer around, helping him with pranks and generally being his shadow.  But when Lucifer tells him his plan to rebel, what is Gabe supposed to do - be loyal to his favorite brother, or his Father?</p><p>Written for the request: Brother!fic of co-pranksters Lucifer and Gabriel, while they were both still in Heaven. I am totally okay with implications that one or both of them got tossed out for playing one prank too many.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Isn't a Prank

“So what did they do this time?”  Anna asked, shaking her head as Michael walked passed her dragging her teenage brothers Gabriel and Lucifer towards the Gates by their wings, both of them laughing their heads off as if they hadn’t just received a Heavenly reaming.

“I’m not entirely sure how they did it, but Uriel’s right wing has been attached to Zachariah’s left one.  Apparently it took those two nearly three days to figure out how to maneuver flying so they could tell Father and get him to fix the damage to their flight feathers.”  The archangel sighed, giving his younger sister a stern look when a small giggle escaped her.  “Don’t encourage them Anna.”

“I know, I’m sorry.  Excuse me.”  Anna said, covering her mouth with her hands to hide the smile plastered on her face.  She flew off quickly, shaking her head as she went.  It seemed like every few weeks or so Luc and Gabe were getting themselves grounded and shipped off to Earth for the length of their punishment.

“So how long do we have to stay on the mudball this time Mi?”  Lucifer asked, Gabriel giggling beside him and twiddling his thumbs absently, his toes dragging in the clouds leaving behind small divots in the smooth surface. 

“A month, though it might be lengthened to two if we can’t get Zach to stop crying.”   Michael said tersely, his lips forming a hard line at their disbelieving sounds of distress.  “You two are lucky it’s ONLY that long after all the trouble you’ve caused over the last millennium.  I’ll unlock the Gate for you when you’re allowed to come back.”

As Lucifer and Gabriel fell to Earth together, Luc’s brain began to shift.

As soon as they touched down, both of them walking calmly towards the fort they’d built themselves – more like a castle at this point, really – over the numerous times they’d been grounded and sent here, Lucifer was quiet.  It wasn’t until Gabriel pulled on one of his pinion feathers to get his attention that he finally turned towards his brother, a grim smile on his face.

“I’ve got an idea.”  He said softly, his eyes cast Heavenwards.  He wanted to make sure before he spoke that no one was listening, hovering just out of view to spy on them.  “Have you heard about Father’s new favorites.”

“New favorites?”  Gabriel’s eyes widened, his eyes trained on his older brother’s face. 

“Humans.  Father already put some on this rock without consulting with any of us archangels.”  Lucifer snarled, Gabe blinking in surprise at the sudden fierce anger.  “When we get back to Heaven, I plan to lead a charge of angels against him and Michael.  Surely they have to know what a huge insult it is to ask us to bow down to inferior creatures.”

“Wait… you’re serious about this, aren’t you?”  Gabe asked, blinking in confusion when his brother nodded.  “When did you go from mostly harmless pranks to actually wanting to go against our Father?”

“When he asked me to bow down to those creatures.”  He said simply, his hands balling into fists.  “I won’t do it Gabe.  I won’t belittle myself.”

“You aren’t seriously asking me to defy Dad, are you?”  Gabe asked, his face going pale when the resolve in Luc’s face never shifted.  “Whoa.  Pranks is one thing.  Annoying Mi, even, make sense.  But this?  You’re talking about rebelling.”

“I know.  And I want to know if you’ll stand beside me when I do.”  Luc said, smiling as he took his brother’s hands in his.  “It’s always been me and you Gabriel, always.  You’ve always stood beside me no matter what.  Tell me you’ll do it again.”

“But… I’d have to stand against our other siblings.  I have to watch out for Anna.  And Castiel, he’s only a fledging.  Who’ll look after him if I won’t?”  Gabe said in a panic, tears rising in his eyes as the older brother he’d always idolized turned away from him in disappointment.  “Please Luc.  It’s not that I don’t want to stand with you… it’s just… I don’t want to stand against any of you.  I love all of my brothers and sisters, even that total tool Michael.  Even if I won’t stand with you, I won’t stand with them either.  I don’t want any part in the family falling to pieces.”

“I understand Gabriel, don’t worry.”  Lucifer said sadly, patting his brother’s hair.  “As long as you don’t stand against me, I’ll always love you.”

“Are you sure you have to do this?”  Gabe asked softly, swallowing against the lump in his throat when Lucifer nodded.  Everything was about to change, and he could already feel it wouldn’t be for the better.

They spend their next month together blissfully, swimming in the oceans and drawing rude pictures in the sand.  When it was time to go back to Heaven, Gabriel was almost sorry to go home, especially since he knew the storm was coming whether their Father yet recognized that or not.  He carefully avoided Michael when he got home, watching Luc carefully for any sign over the next year to see if TODAY, finally, would be the day he rebelled.

“Gabe, can I speak to you in private?” 

Gabriel fought back tears as he looked up at Lucifer dressed in his battle armor, Castiel sitting happily atop his shoulders braiding daisies from the Garden into his hair.  Nodding he followed his older brother out into the farthest corner of Heaven, trying not to break down and beg his brother to stay – he knew it was a losing battle. 

“Take care of Castiel for me.  He’d always been my favorite fledgling.  I’d rather he didn’t have to see the horrors of battle until he’s grown – and I’ll fight better knowing you’re somewhere removed from the fighting too.” Luc smiled sadly, carefully lifting Castiel down off his shoulders.  With trembling hands Gabriel took him, holding his oddball little brother to his chest as Lucifer stroked one of his golden wings, a clear sign of affection.  “I’m going to miss tou little brother.  Promise me, no matter what, the pranks don’t stop.  I would hate for my choices to change who you are.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll always be a Trickster.”  He said sadly, trying to put on a brave face and failing.  As Lucifer walked away, Gabriel settled down in the corner and hummed to Castiel until he fell asleep.

As the sounds of battle started to pick up, he pressed his hands over the fledgling’s ears to keep him from hearing the clashing of swords and cries as their brothers and sisters fell from the sky.  He didn’t stop humming until the sounds of battle ended, even though it felt like days had passed.

Nothing, though, could have drowned out the yell of despair he felt rising in his guts as he heard his brother being cast out.  If he lived for all eternity, he would always hear that last cry as Lucifer plummeted to Earth ringing in his ears.  His one solace, at least, was that Castiel would grow up without that memory – that between the two of them, they’d managed to keep one of the angels innocent and untainted, even if it was just their oddball fledgling. 


End file.
